title: The impact of long-term body mass index patterns on health-related quality of life: the Doetinchem Cohort Study.
abstract: Overweight is associated with a reduced health-related quality of life (QOL), but less is known about the impact of long-term body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight (kg)/height (m)(2)) patterns on QOL in adults. In the Dutch Doetinchem Cohort Study (1989-2009) that included 1,677 men and 1,731 women aged 20-66 years, 6 BMI patterns were defined by using 4 measurements over a 15-year period: 1) persistent healthy weight (18.5-24.9, reference pattern); 2) persistent overweight (25.0-29.9); 3) persistent obesity (≥30.0); 4) developing overweight; 5) developing obesity; and 6) switching between BMI categories. For each BMI pattern, adjusted QOL (measured on a 0-100 scale) was estimated at the end of this period. The lowest QOL was observed for persistent obesity of all BMI patterns. It was 5.0 points (P = 0.02) lower for 1 mental dimension in men and 6.2-11.6 points (P < 0.05) lower for 5 (mainly physical) dimensions in women. Developing overweight or obesity scored 1.8-6.3 points (P < 0.05) lower on 2-5 (mainly physical) dimensions. Persistent overweight hardly differed from a persistent healthy weight. In women, switching between BMI categories resulted in a lower QOL on the mental dimensions. Studying long-term BMI patterns over a 15-year period showed that persistent obesity, developing overweight, and developing obesity resulted in a lower QOL-particularly on the physical dimensions-compared with a persistent healthy weight.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nutrition, Prevention, and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands. Ellen.de.Hollander@rivm.nl
authors.forename: Ellen L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: de Hollander
authors.forename: H Susan J
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Picavet
authors.forename: Ivon E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Milder
authors.forename: W M Monique
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Verschuren
authors.forename: Wanda J E
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bemelmans
authors.forename: Lisette C P G M
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: de Groot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D055686:Metabolic Equivalent; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: adult; body mass index; longitudinal studies; quality of life